path: root/lib/fabpot-yaml/doc/02-YAML.markdown

The YAML Format
===============

According to the official [YAML](http://yaml.org/) website, YAML is "a human
friendly data serialization standard for all programming languages".

Even if the YAML format can describe complex nested data structure, this
chapter only describes the minimum set of features needed to use YAML as a
configuration file format.

YAML is a simple language that describes data. As PHP, it has a syntax for
simple types like strings, booleans, floats, or integers. But unlike PHP, it
makes a difference between arrays (sequences) and hashes (mappings).

Scalars
-------

The syntax for scalars is similar to the PHP syntax.

### Strings

    [yml]
    A string in YAML

-

    [yml]
    'A singled-quoted string in YAML'

>**TIP**
>In a single quoted string, a single quote `'` must be doubled:
>
>     [yml]
>     'A single quote '' in a single-quoted string'

    [yml]
    "A double-quoted string in YAML\n"

Quoted styles are useful when a string starts or ends with one or more
relevant spaces.

>**TIP**
>The double-quoted style provides a way to express arbitrary strings, by
>using `\` escape sequences. It is very useful when you need to embed a
>`\n` or a unicode character in a string.

When a string contains line breaks, you can use the literal style, indicated
by the pipe (`|`), to indicate that the string will span several lines. In
literals, newlines are preserved:

    [yml]
    |
      \/ /| |\/| |
      / / | |  | |__

Alternatively, strings can be written with the folded style, denoted by `>`,
where each line break is replaced by a space:

    [yml]
    >
      This is a very long sentence
      that spans several lines in the YAML
      but which will be rendered as a string
      without carriage returns.

>**NOTE**
>Notice the two spaces before each line in the previous examples. They
>won't appear in the resulting PHP strings.

### Numbers

    [yml]
    # an integer
    12

-

    [yml]
    # an octal
    014

-

    [yml]
    # an hexadecimal
    0xC

-

    [yml]
    # a float
    13.4

-

    [yml]
    # an exponential number
    1.2e+34

-

    [yml]
    # infinity
    .inf

### Nulls

Nulls in YAML can be expressed with `null` or `~`.

### Booleans

Booleans in YAML are expressed with `true` and `false`.

>**NOTE**
>The symfony YAML parser also recognize `on`, `off`, `yes`, and `no` but
>it is strongly discouraged to use them as it has been removed from the
>1.2 YAML specifications.

### Dates

YAML uses the ISO-8601 standard to express dates:

    [yml]
    2001-12-14t21:59:43.10-05:00

-

    [yml]
    # simple date
    2002-12-14

Collections
-----------

A YAML file is rarely used to describe a simple scalar. Most of the time, it
describes a collection. A collection can be a sequence or a mapping of
elements. Both sequences and mappings are converted to PHP arrays.

Sequences use a dash followed by a space (`- `):

    [yml]
    - PHP
    - Perl
    - Python

The previous YAML file is equivalent to the following PHP code:

    [php]
    array('PHP', 'Perl', 'Python');

Mappings use a colon followed by a space (`: `) to mark each key/value pair:

    [yml]
    PHP: 5.2
    MySQL: 5.1
    Apache: 2.2.20

which is equivalent to this PHP code:

    [php]
    array('PHP' => 5.2, 'MySQL' => 5.1, 'Apache' => '2.2.20');

>**NOTE**
>In a mapping, a key can be any valid scalar.

The number of spaces between the colon and the value does not matter:

    [yml]
    PHP:    5.2
    MySQL:  5.1
    Apache: 2.2.20

YAML uses indentation with one or more spaces to describe nested collections:

    [yml]
    "symfony 1.0":
      PHP:    5.0
      Propel: 1.2
    "symfony 1.2":
      PHP:    5.2
      Propel: 1.3

The following YAML is equivalent to the following PHP code:

    [php]
    array(
      'symfony 1.0' => array(
        'PHP'    => 5.0,
        'Propel' => 1.2,
      ),
      'symfony 1.2' => array(
        'PHP'    => 5.2,
        'Propel' => 1.3,
      ),
    );

There is one important thing you need to remember when using indentation in a
YAML file: *Indentation must be done with one or more spaces, but never with
tabulations*.

You can nest sequences and mappings as you like:

    [yml]
    'Chapter 1':
      - Introduction
      - Event Types
    'Chapter 2':
      - Introduction
      - Helpers

YAML can also use flow styles for collections, using explicit indicators
rather than indentation to denote scope.

A sequence can be written as a comma separated list within square brackets
(`[]`):

    [yml]
    [PHP, Perl, Python]

A mapping can be written as a comma separated list of key/values within curly
braces (`{}`):

    [yml]
    { PHP: 5.2, MySQL: 5.1, Apache: 2.2.20 }

You can mix and match styles to achieve a better readability:

    [yml]
    'Chapter 1': [Introduction, Event Types]
    'Chapter 2': [Introduction, Helpers]

-

    [yml]
    "symfony 1.0": { PHP: 5.0, Propel: 1.2 }
    "symfony 1.2": { PHP: 5.2, Propel: 1.3 }

Comments
--------

Comments can be added in YAML by prefixing them with a hash mark (`#`):

    [yml]
    # Comment on a line
    "symfony 1.0": { PHP: 5.0, Propel: 1.2 } # Comment at the end of a line
    "symfony 1.2": { PHP: 5.2, Propel: 1.3 }

>**NOTE**
>Comments are simply ignored by the YAML parser and do not need to be
>indented according to the current level of nesting in a collection.

Dynamic YAML files
------------------

In symfony, a YAML file can contain PHP code that is evaluated just before the
parsing occurs:

    [php]
    1.0:
      version: <?php echo file_get_contents('1.0/VERSION')."\n" ?>
    1.1:
      version: "<?php echo file_get_contents('1.1/VERSION') ?>"

Be careful to not mess up with the indentation. Keep in mind the following
simple tips when adding PHP code to a YAML file:

 * The `<?php ?>` statements must always start the line or be embedded in a
   value.

 * If a `<?php ?>` statement ends a line, you need to explicitly output a new
   line ("\n").

<div class="pagebreak"></div>

A Full Length Example
---------------------

The following example illustrates most YAML notations explained in this
document:

    [yml]
    "symfony 1.0":
      end_of_maintainance: 2010-01-01
      is_stable:           true
      release_manager:     "Grégoire Hubert"
      description: >
        This stable version is the right choice for projects
        that need to be maintained for a long period of time.
      latest_beta:         ~
      latest_minor:        1.0.20
      supported_orms:      [Propel]
      archives:            { source: [zip, tgz], sandbox: [zip, tgz] }

    "symfony 1.2":
      end_of_maintainance: 2008-11-01
      is_stable:           true
      release_manager:     'Fabian Lange'
      description: >
        This stable version is the right choice
        if you start a new project today.
      latest_beta:         null
      latest_minor:        1.2.5
      supported_orms:
        - Propel
        - Doctrine
      archives:
        source:
          - zip
          - tgz
        sandbox:
          - zip
          - tgz